Gentle sedation dentistry helps patients in Aurora get oral health back on track

It is not unusual to have a small level of unease about seeing the dentist. The appointment takes time out of your busy schedule. It requires a level of trust in the clinician who cleans your teeth and examines your mouth. There is a possibility that a problem will be detected, calling for additional treatment. Those are reasonable concerns, and Dr. Harry Weingarten and his staff work hard to minimize them with a tranquil office environment, friendliness, compassion, and gentle treatment. Studies show, though, that about 15 percent of the population has extreme dental anxiety – a phobia of visiting the dentist that prevents them from having healthy, beautiful smiles. Sedation dentistry allows many patients in the Aurora area get the care they need without fear.

Nitrous oxide

Nitrous oxide is a sedative agent that is mixed with oxygen and inhaled from a mask over the nose. You are not asleep, just relaxed and unconcerned about dental treatment. The gas takes effect quickly, and is often enough to calm a patient who is nervous about getting a numbing injection to start treatment. Nitrous oxide wears off almost immediately after the flow of gas is stopped, and has no residual wooziness, so you may drive or return to work or other activities right away.

Oral conscious sedation

This is a valium-type sedative in a pill form. Typically, it is prescribed for dental anxiety as follows: You take one dose the night before your appointment to help you sleep well, then another about an hour before your visit. Oral conscious sedation causes grogginess, so you need to arrange for someone to drive you to and from the dentist's office. You are conscious throughout treatment, breathing on your own, able to respond to conversation, and can use the restroom if you'd like. However, you are very relaxed and may doze off during treatment.

Oral conscious sedation can be a good choice for the patient who is quite anxious, or needs extensive treatment. A patient with little or no dental anxiety may benefit from oral conscious sedation if he or she wants to have multiple procedures taken care of at one appointment. Because it allows both your body and mind to relax, the doctor is able to work more efficiently, and you are less likely to experience jaw stiffness or other post-procedure discomfort.

Sedation dentistry isn't right for every patient, and may not be necessary in your situation. The first step toward overcoming dental anxiety and getting your oral health back on track is a call to Dr. Harry Weingarten & Associates Family and Cosmetic Dentistry in Aurora, Ontario at (905) 727-1917 . In an unhurried consultation Dr. Weingarten listens to your concerns and talks with you about treatment options, including gentle sedation dentistry.